Allen Wins the Player's Championship at Longbow

Thirty-six players descended on Longbow Golf Club for the third major of the 2026 season, and when the dust settled it was Jason Allen standing alone at the top — a composed net 66 on a day when the field had every opportunity to catch him and couldn't quite get there.

A Front Nine to Remember

With all groups starting on hole 10, Allen drew the first tee time of the day, paired alongside Joel Miller. It's worth noting that Miller has now shared a group with the last two Summer Tour winners and winner of the last major — a fun footnote for anyone who finds themselves in his presence next event. Allen didn't flinch. He posted a sweltering 37 on his front nine, playing steady, controlled golf from the jump. It was the kind of front nine that tells the rest of the field they're going to need something special.

A Stumble, Then a Reset

The back nine started the same as the front with a rare hiccup on the number one handicap hole — the par-4 fourth — Allen's approach found the water left, and he walked away with a double. It was the one moment all day where the door cracked open. But Allen is not the type to let one hole unravel a round (today). He settled in immediately, parring three of the next four holes and arriving at his final hole with a chance to close the door on the field.

The Closing Hole

On the long par 4, Allen's approach found the greenside bunker. He hit a quality sand shot to about seven feet — a length he had been converting all day. This time, the putt slid low and stayed out. The door was open, just barely, for anyone still in contention to make a run.

The Chasers Come Up Short

The first to take a real shot was Ken Galica, a Summer Tour stalwart who had been quietly putting together one of the better rounds of the day. He needed a par on his final hole to force a playoff. Instead, his drive found the desert left — uncharacteristic for a player of his caliber. He took the drop, but his recovery missed the green right, leaving him a chip-in just to force extra holes. He gave it everything he had. It didn't go in. Galica made bogey and finished solo second, a result that still reflects a strong day's work.

PJ Singh was the other player with a legitimate shot at the title. He was rolling through the back nine until hole 16, a par 3, where he walked away with a 5. That ended any real chance at the win, though Singh's round was still good enough for solo third — a solid finish in a 36-player field.

When the cards were all in, Allen's net 66 stood alone. A clean, controlled performance from the first group off the tee — and a well-earned 750 Desert Cup points.

The Commissioner Called His Shot

Every major championship comes with a little extra intrigue, and one of the Summer Tour's favorite traditions is the pari-mutuel wagers. Members — participating in that day's event or not — can put a $5 bet behind the player they believe will hoist the trophy, with the pool going to anyone lucky enough to pick the winner.

This time, there was only one believer.

Before the first tee shot was struck, Commissioner Brad Pilon was the lone person to back Jason Allen. It was a bold pick on a day when even Jason himself — and his brother Ken — didn't think the stars were likely to align.

18 holes later, Allen had authored the biggest victory of his Summer Tour career, and Pilon's prediction looked downright prophetic. As the only winning ticket, he walked away with the entire $265 prize pool.

Sometimes the best golf of the day happens on the course. This time, the best gamble happened before anyone even teed it up.

A Historic First: YBC Production Takes the Presenting Sponsorship

The Player's Championship marked a milestone for the Summer Tour beyond the leaderboard — it was our first event with a presenting sponsor. A massive thank you to YBC Production for stepping up and supporting the tour in a real, tangible way. Their commitment to printing services has already made an impact: a new sandwich board promoting the league was on display at the course, and fresh tee markers bearing the Summer Tour name were proudly planted on holes 1 and 10. It's the kind of professional touch that reflects where this tour is headed.

The new Summer Tour tee marker on display at Longbow — printed and presented by YBC Production.

We're actively looking to grow our partner network and bring more local Arizona businesses into the fold. If you know someone who'd be a good fit — or if you're interested yourself — head over to the Partner Network page to learn more about sponsorship opportunities. The Summer Tour has been running for over 20 years on passion and entry fees. With the right partners behind us, the next 20 are going to look a lot different.

The Two-Man Championship Series Begins

While Allen was making his run on the individual leaderboard, history was being made in the Two-Man bracket as well. The Summer Tour's first-ever Two-Man Championship Series got underway at the Player's Championship, and the Cleveland Chad Browns — Spencer Harter and Jonathan Chorley — came out swinging. They defeated Rob Reedy and Danny Jean of Slice 'Em & Dice 'Em, 2 Up, to take a 1–0 series lead. Match 2 goes July 19 at Superstition Springs, with Match 3 at Lookout Mountain on July 26 if needed. The Chad Browns have the early edge — but this series is far from over.

Skins & CTPs

Casey Hatch claimed the CTP on hole 3. Michael Riley swept the gross skin and net skin and added the CTP on hole 7 — a big day at the right time. Niles Van Buren took the CTP on hole 11. Justin Shipka won the CTP on hole 16. On the skins board, Ken Galica and Andrew Stonehouse each swept gross skins, while Nick Auditore, Tim Kartman, Tyler Dorethy, Jay Satchfield, and Stonehouse all cashed net skins. Each skin paid $30.

The Race Just Got Interesting

Points leader Brennon Shay sat this one out, and the field made him pay for it. Five of the top seven in the Desert Cup standings made the cut and collected points — closing the gap at the top in a hurry. The standings are tighter than they've been all season, and there's plenty of golf left to play.

Next up is the East Valley Classic on July 19 at Superstition Springs Golf Club — a 7:00 AM tee time and the stage for Match 2 of the Two-Man Championship Series between the Cleveland Chad Browns and Slice Em & Dice Em. The following week brings the Lookout Mountain Classic on July 26 at Lookout Mountain Golf Club, where Match 3 of the series could be played if needed. Then the calendar turns to August and the Individual Match Play bracket kicks off in earnest — Round of 16 at We-Ko-Pa on August 2, quarterfinals at Copper Canyon on August 9, semis at Eagle Mountain on August 16, and the Finals at Troon North on August 23. The season closes with the Tour Challenge — the fourth and final major — at Wigwam Golf Club on August 29–30, where double points will be on the line across two days and two courses.

A lot of golf left. A lot of points still to be won. Check the Season Standings and the full schedule to see where things stand.